Ultrasound imaging is used in the diagnosis, screening, and treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions. An ultrasound image is created by transmitting sound waves into the body and then interpreting the intensity of the reflected echoes. The echoes are commonly used to produce two dimensional, three-dimensional, and color flow images of internal anatomical features of patients.
Current ultrasound systems often require an operator to hold an ultrasound probe in one hand while entering information onto a control panel with the other, frequently non-dominant, hand. As the number of functions performed by ultrasound systems increases, the size and complexity of the user interface, i.e. the control panel also increases. This complexity makes it inefficient and time consuming to acquire and optimize images and enter the data for each captured image.
Every image requires at least two labels which are typically typed by the sonographer with his or her left hand. Additionally, there are a variety of measurements which the sonographer obtains by manually placing electronic calipers on the image. The process of optimizing the image, labeling, and measuring is cumbersome, time consuming and prone to errors. There is therefore a need for an ultrasound system that provides the operator with a more streamlined method and interface for optimizing the image, labeling, and making measurements in ultrasound images.